What paperwork do I need to rent an apartment in Paris?
Before you begin your hunt for rental apartments in Paris, you should prepare all the necessary documents. Rental properties do move really quickly in the capital. It’s smart to have everything ready in a folder so that you can act quickly if you find an apartment you like.
If you are dealing with a person at an agency, they will tell you exactly what documentation you will need, and likewise, if you are dealing directly with a property owner. It is usual to be asked for the following:
● A scan of your French ID/ passport
● Copies of your three most recent pay slips (les fiches de payes)
● The details of the French person who is acting as your guarantor (un garant)
If you have a problem with any of these requirements, there is an excellent service that can be used called Garantme. This company provides a service that landlords like. Garantme will provide a certified application on behalf of the foreigner wanting to rent with all the required documents and will also guarantee rent up to €90,000. This service does come with a cost, but it is fast, straightforward and efficient – with the bonus that all conversations are in English.
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How much does it cost to rent an apartment in Paris?
It is important to understand the cost of apartment rentals in Paris as it varies. Some apartment listings include the words charges comprise and this means that the rental price includes all maintenance charges for the building and common areas such as stairways and halls.
Other charges for rental apartments in Paris are split into two payments. The first is le loyer, which is the rent paid to the landlord. The second is les charges de copropriété, the maintenance charges for the building itself. These two amounts added together give the total monthly rental charge and both these sums are payable to the landlord each month.
At this stage, it is also important to check whether gas, electricity, heating and water charges are included in the rent or whether these must be paid for separately by the tenant. It is important to ask the landlord who will be responsible for electricity, internet and television. If new contracts are needed for these services, it is well worth shopping around as there are a number of providers for each.
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The average monthly rent price in the city of Paris is €32 per square meter, according to SeLoger, or about $3 per square foot. For instance, to lease a 100 square meter apartment, the average rent in the city of Paris would be around €3,200 per month, a 50 square meter apartment around €1,600. For a 1,000 square foot apartment, the average rent in US dollars would be $3,211 per month, while a smaller apartment will be proportionately less.
However, rent prices can vary significantly depending on the neighborhood, the size of the apartment and the quality of the finishes.
To get a rough idea how apartment rents in Paris vary by location, here are the average rent prices by arrondissement, sorted from the most expensive to the cheapest:
How to find an apartment to rent in Paris?
There are a variety of ways to track down a good rental apartment Paris, France, but the key to success is to work fast because they are quickly snapped up. Good to know: the French word for lease is location and loyer means rent.
The main ways to find rental apartments in Paris are:
Visit a real estate agency
This method works well if you have a work contract and extra money to pay the agency’s fees. You will find several estate agencies specializing in rentals in the district that you have chosen. It is best to see an agent in person to find out what properties are available and to explain what your ideal apartment requirements are, plus your budget. Staff in the agencies do speak English too.
There are apartment rental offices in Paris that specialize in helping foreigners find an apartment in the capital, but not surprisingly, they are not cheap to use and it is best to not choose them as your first option.
Best rental listings websites in Paris
It is easy to find a rental apartment in Paris online, as there are several popular websites with apartment listings in France:
1. SeLoger
SeLoger is a great way to keep a firm eye on the rental market as the website is a compilation of all the apartments for rent in Paris. It can be really helpful to start logging on as earlier as possible so that you can get a feel for the going rates for apartment rentals of different sizes in the different districts.
If you find a rental apartment you like, you can get in contact with the agency handling the rent directly. The SeLoger website is in French, but you can select for it to be in English, if it is easier.
2. HomeLike
HomeLike is a rental listings website that specializes in furnished apartments for rent in several major European cities. Apartments are rented for a minimum of one month’s rental, with excellent photos of each apartment and descriptions in English.
3. Morning Croissant
Morning Croissant is a great listings website which specializes in private apartment rentals. The text is in French with comprehensive information about the location of the apartment, who it is suitable for plus photographs and a comprehensive list of all the equipment provided. Hopeful renters can contact the landlord via the website.
Marketplaces with private rental apartments in Paris
LeBonCoin is a well-known online marketplace throughout France where you can buy almost anything, including cars and furniture. It is a popular forum with house owners selling property and also landlords with apartments to rent. Communication is handled directly with the property owners. The website is nationwide and once you have logged onto the home page, you can choose the district for apartment rentals in Paris that you are interested in.
PAP stands for Particulier à Particulier (meaning ‘Person to Person’) and is an equally popular website to find an apartment in Paris. It is possible to search for rental apartments in Paris and communicate directly with the owner. Both of these websites have the advantage that you do get to meet the owner and do not have to deal with them via a third party. Many of them are more flexible about the documentation they require from a foreigner wanting to rent their apartment.
Related: How to make a living in France as an expat
Renting an unfurnished apartment in Paris
While rental periods for furnished apartments can be shorter, the minimum period for a lease for an unfurnished apartment is three years. The tenant does not have to stay in the property for this length of time, it just ensures that the landlord does not give a tenancy for a shorter length of time. There is an exception to this rule, where the landlord can offer an apartment for rent for at least one year but less than three years, if there is a particular reason for him to do so. This, however, must be clarified at the time the lease is signed.
If an unfurnished apartment is going to be rented for a short period only, it must be the landlord’s primary residence and the maximum short-term lease is strictly 120 days or four months.
What does a Paris apartment lease entail?
Once the lease terms have been agreed upon between landlord and tenant, le bail or the lease agreement can be drawn up. It is important that the contents of the lease are fully understood before signing.
When the lease is signed, a security deposit will be payable. Legally the security deposit can be either equal to or less than the cost of one month’s rent. The security deposit is returned to the tenant once the rental agreement has been completed – as long as there has been no damage incurred to the property.
Before your move in date for your rental apartment in Paris, it is important to purchase Assurance d’Habitation or home insurance, so that you can really relax in your new home peacefully and enjoy your time in Paris.
This article originally appeared on MyDolceCasa and was syndicated by MediaFeed.
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